Giacomo Costa in 2023

infinitely delicate landscapes
13.10. - 11.11.2023

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Giacomo Costa’s new body of work furthers his investigation into the fragile relationship between human beings, development models, and the environment that surrounds us. In a world increasingly dominated by evolutionary, economic and social logics that undermine the sustainability of the future of the human being, the need to represent this subtle unstable balance becomes the centre of the artist’s visual language and the focus of ‘infinitely delicate landscapes’. Cities and landscapes seem to be generated by rules similar to natural laws, such as crystal lattices, mathematical functions or fractals. Therefore, the criterion underlying the creation of cities and landscapes does not seem to follow human rules but almost seems to be nature itself or a higher order that generates them. The human being appears excluded from the very environment they inhabit.

The artist says: “For about 20 years my images have been generated through the use of 3D software, the same ones used in architectural design and special effects. Traditionally the process of making images consisted of drawing every single detail, as if it were a form of virtual modeling. The limit of this approach was the impossibility of creating scenarios of potentially infinite size, and consequently the possibility of being able to explore my worlds as if we were in a real scenario.  In order to overcome this limit, I started using a different and unique software that allows to use programming, mathematics and logic to generate the elements that build the scene. The parametric approach compared to the traditional one makes it possible to automatically generate enormous quantities of variations and elements without having to “copy and paste” but rather resorting to a numerical representation of reality through elements such as fractals, mathematical functions, big datas and physics. This new creative process required several years of study in order to develop my personal algorithm which is the basis of the images starting from 2018.

In this new series, I have implemented the algorithm to be able to process new types of data that generate very different results but are based on the same procedure. The idea of generating worlds through rules and data allows to generate scenarios with a large percentage of randomness, leaving the artistic freedom to virtually photograph a world created by myself in the bases and principles, but not in the single elements. Although I am the creator of the scenario, I have to explore these worlds as if I were actually making a photographic reportage in order to obtain the images, discovering unexpected points of view, glimpses and places.”

In the blocks series, curves generated by mathematical functions are processed by the same algorithm that creates the buildings. The architectural elements of these structures are reproduced according to random patterns that can be influenced through numerous parameters and allow for high artistic control. The behaviour of individual details, the position of objects such as pipes, air conditioners, satellite dishes, windows, is determined through fractal patterns that create infinite variations. Images in the clusters series are created by processing blocks of data from economic, social and environmental analyses. This data is transformed into geometric points and modifies with mathematical functions that transform the clusters of points into geometric lattices. This geometric model is then elaborated upon, transforming it into a photographic landscape. The patterns series was generated through fractal and geometric patterns that allow the algorithm to generate terrains. The geometric model is implemented with the addition of architectural elements.